Antibacterial efficacy of Madre de Cacao (Gliricidia sepium) and Hagonoy (Chromolaena odorata) leaves extract against sewage water bacteria

Herbalism refers to the traditional practice of using plants and plant extracts for medicinal and therapeutic purposes. The practice of using plant extracts for wounds and lesions has been continuously implemented by a number of local families until today. This study aimed to investigate the antibacterial efficacy of common local plant leaves used for poultice: madre de cacao (Gliricidia sepium) and hagonoy (Chromolaena odorata) leaf extracts against sewage water bacteria. Two extraction methods were utilized to extract the antibacterial properties of the leaves: maceration and hot decoction, in different concentrations of 25%, 15%, and 5%. Results revealed significant antibacterial activity at higher concentrations; specifically, the 25% extract concentration demonstrated the most significant reduction in inhibiting bacteria, suggesting that the effectiveness of the extracts is dose-dependent. Furthermore, maceration proved to be a more efficient method for extracting the antibacterial properties of the leaves compared to hot decoction. While the madre de cacao and hagonoy leaf extracts illustrated antibacterial activity against sewage water bacteria, the difference in colony counts proves that the hagonoy leaves are more potent than the madre de cacao in this investigation.